Power in final, but at huge cost

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If it's the final of the PACE Canadian Squash Classic, then Jonathon Power must be involved.

But it was only with a hard victory that took 91 minutes last night that Power, who beat Anthony Ricketts, will participate in the tournament's title match for the fourth time in five years.

Power, ranked ninth in the world, went up 2-0 on Ricketts but needed a fifth game to beat the 14th-ranked Australian 12-10, 11-6, 10-12, 12-14, 11-2 at BCE Place.

"It's a disaster for being prepared (for tonight)," Power said of the long match. "I'm going to get a massage, take my vitamins and drinks, and try to feel as loose as possible. I know I am going to be stiff."

Power will play Thierry Lincou of France, who is ranked No. 2 in the world.

"I'm disappointed," said Ryding, who is ranked 20th in the world. "I played okay, but only in patches. I made too many mistakes against a good player like Thierry."

Power, a 30-year-old resident of Montreal, is going for his fourth tournament win and third in three years. He had an 8-3 lead in the third game last night but then started to look ahead to the final of the $50,000 US event.

"I got the glass arm a little bit and started to think about a win," Power said. "All of a sudden, he was back in the game."

Ricketts, now 0-5 against Power in his career, was absent from the PSA Tour from January to August this year after he underwent surgery on his right knee. But rather than lilt after going down two games, he began to take advantage of some Power mistakes to climb back into the match.

'TOUGH MATCH'

However, rallying to win two games helped lead to Ricketts' downfall.

"I had to put in an extra effort to get back to five and it took a lot out of me," Ricketts said. "It was a tough match especially with Jonathon playing in Toronto (where Power, who was born in Comox, B.C., once lived)."